What happens to policy implementation when the process suffers from problems of coordination? This article from the Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration focuses on how central-local relations in Bangladesh create inter-organisational coordination problems that affect the implementation of policies in urban governance. In the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), the central-local relationship is determined by the political identity of the mayor. Competing pressures and demands of local autonomy and central control are weighted in favour of centralisation at the expense of local autonomy and initiative.
Bangladesh, which emerged as an independent state in 1971, has not yet developed appropriate strategies, policies and institutions to cope with urban governance. The country has followed a centralised system of policy making and resource allocation in which intergovernmental transfers are unstable, not well defined and lack an adequate system of incentives. The level of decentralised government that exists has been largely ineffective because of a lack of accountability, a concentration of power by the municipal executives, obsolete laws and regulatory framework, limited administrative capacity, a lack of investment in human resources and weak supervision by central government agencies. As a result, deficiencies in urban infrastructure and services, including water supply, sanitation and transport, are severe.
In the RCC, central-local relations affect inter-organisational coordination in the process of policy implementation in urban governance. Furthermore, inter-organisational coordination has considerable impact on policy implementation in urban governance.
- A lack of inter-organisational coordination means a lack of communication between different agencies, this having a negative impact on the overall policy implementation process.
- The engineering department in the RCC has responsibility for the implementation of infrastructure policy. But it needs cooperation from other departments, which also deal with government agencies beyond the RCC.
- There is a positive relationship between the RCC and the central government because of the Mayor’s powerful position within the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
- The RCC experienced many problems during 1996-2001 when the BNP was in opposition, especially in the allocation of resources and associated time delays.
The Rajshahi City Corporation Ordinance 1987, under which the RCC operates, acknowledges the local autonomy of the RCC, while also giving the central government enormous powers to exercise control over it. Some of the more important arrangements that directly affect central-local relations and coordination are as follows:
- The central government makes laws and rules for all local bodies.
- The Mayor may be removed from office at any time, without assigning any reason; the government may also supersede the entire RCC or suspend a department of the RCC.
- The government may assign or remove any function from the RCC. The RCC can not directly negotiate with foreign donors or private investors.
- The central government approves the RCC budget and may call for any records of the RCC. The RCC has to send the central government an annual report on its activities and the government can inspect it at any time.
- The schedule of posts in the RCC has to be sanctioned by the government, and no appointment beyond the schedule is allowed. The RCC has to obtain government approval to form standing committees.
- The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is appointed by the government. He has considerable powers and is the appointing authority for all subordinate posts.
